The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-09-21
C0NRAD'S ESCAPADE.
BY LUCY BLAKE.

through the window of a second-cla
carriage, caused him to change his mind
and relinquish all thoughts of that pet
cigar.
Fate had hidden herself behind such a
lovely pair of pathetic dark eyes under a
poke bonnet lined with red silk, how
could Mr.. Jeremy Calcott resist her
mighty magnetism2 Though in reality
he was ready to rend limb from limb
fidgety governess and three children who
threatened to bar his progress, Mr.. Cal
colt ensconced himself in this particular
carriage with manner intended to express
the coolest Indifference us to where he
sat He chose place opposite the
wearer of the poke bonnet, so that at dis
Greet moments his artists eye might re-
fresh itself without danger of dislocation
by look at the most charming face and
figure 1t had ever rested upon. The air
of sadness in mouth and eyes, though
unsuited to her young years, added much
to the fascination of the girls face
She was accompanied by rather dull
looking person in black, who divided her
time between catching short, jerky maps
in uugraceful attitudes, with her mouth
open, and casting anxious glances at a
large basket in red drapery in a rack
overhead. She had doubtless placed it
there herself with the usual feminine
disregard for stability and public safety,
and was watching for it to come rattling
down upon somebody's head.
Mr.. Calcott longed to speak to his
pretty neighbor, but for fear of frightcn-
ing her he retrained. Fate presently
took compassion on him; the shade of
the poke bonnet was evidently not
enough for the pretty black eyes, for a
little white hand, quicker in its move
ment than Calcott's, reached up to draw
down the blind. The wood was warped
and stiff, and the poor little fingers were
pinched. Not very badly perhaps, but
the black eyes had suspicious moisture
III their corners. Calcott forgot his
cautious reserve, and expressed deep re-
gret for the accident which caused the
young lady such keen suffering
Did she know that rec wine was con-
sidered cfficacious in allaying the pain OF
a pinch, and would she allow him to
offer some from his flask9 She seemed
nothing loath, so the infatuated young
man tore up into strips his fine new linen
handkerchief (delighting all the time in
the fact that there was an embroidered
monogram in the corner, which made the
sacrifice more completely, and saturated
the bandage with wine to bind round the
injured finger.
Thank you; it feels better already,
she murmured; "but what pity you tore
up your handkerchief
As if being allowed to touch that
dainty little hand for q few minutes was
not worth all the rubbishy handkerchiefs
in the kingdom! thought Calcott, but
what he said was less gallant.
The young lady in black witnessed
this scene with stony indifference. Mr..
Calcott resented her evident callousness,
but felt deeply grateful to her for leaving
the care of the wounded finger to him.
After this mishap Mr.. Calcott found
himself chatting to his pretty Cis-a-pi,
with the ease of long acquaintance. A:
they stopped at a wayside station, he ex'
claimed:
There is type of my countrywomer
of which I'm heartily ashamed! Why
can't she leave that wretched little brute
of dog at homel Look! that is the
second porter who has tipped over its
leading string. The way that that fat
little old man swore when the beast rar
under his legs was quite shocking, but
excusabe under the Circumstances
People who travel about the country with
animals demoralize the public and make
themselves consummate nuisances. Dc
you not agree with me?n
The young lady in the poke bonnet did
not seem quite to agree with Mr.. CalcOtt
upon this subject, and as they moved OIL
he became aware of a change in her man
ner-a timidity more than coolness; shC
glanced uneasily at the lady in black, anC
seemed relieved when that commonplace
person snored Enthusiastically. Uncere
moniously enough she shook her awake
as the train neared the Santa Croct
Station, and both ladies began to collect
ing their belongings ready to descend
Mr.. CalcOtt handed do Sn the basket
with the rabid republican covering, and
as he did so, there issued from it a pro
/ longed, unmistakable Miauw sonorous
angry, loud, as only pampered tomca
disturbed in his slOthful slumber car
! give vent to.
The sable garbed young person droop
ed over the basket, murmuring;
"Conrad, my darling are you over
tired, my sweet pet2 Feel how hot hi
poor nose is, Dora; fear he is in raging
| fever
Jeremy Calcott's heart sank into hi
boots. The pretty girl seemed as read.
to make a spectacle of herself over tn
cat as her palmer companion, and he
CalcOtt, had of course offended then
both mortally by his unlucky remark
concerning people who travelled abou
with amateur menageries. In vain di'
he forfeit part OF his ticket TO see tn
cat and its two guardians safe into cal
at Santa Croce-formal thanks, linn
handshake, were his only reward, as tn
poke bonnet vanished from his gaze-fo
ever, he believed in his despair.
Somehow, it did not seem silly for he
to be fond of cat it was, probably,
very nice cat, with who knows what in
teresting history. What a fool he ha
been to trihe with his happiness by thos
ungenerous comments! All was owe
now, thanks TO this special confounde
cat.
Jeremy Calcott little realized that III
maligned Conrad would one day ind
rectly befriend him, when he was in sol
need.
To escape the heat and find subject
for his sketohbook, Mr.. Calcott wandere